THE following plan of an association, in­tended to promote Agriculture, Manufac­tures, and the useful Arts, has been adopted by a large number of respectable Citizens at the Seat of Government. Should it meet with your approbation; your countenance and sup­port to establish similar Societies, within the se­veral Counties of this Commonwealth, will un­doubtedly contribute to the Happiness and Pros­perity of our common Country.

It is more than twenty years since Pennsyl­vania has taken her station among the Nations of the Earth, as a free, sovereign, and inde­pendent Republic. Our political existence commenced in a manner that reflected on us the greatest glory; and the first dawnings of the American Empire seemed to presage its fu­ture greatness. Our Country possessed every [Page 4] thing necessary to constitute a truly indepen­dent and happy People. No Country ever en­joyed these requisites in a higher degree. Such were our prospects; but we have tarnished the rising glory of our Country, and involved it in difficulties and distress. We have wantonly sported with the fair portion allotted to us by Heaven. We have departed from those plain and simple manners, and that frugal mode of living, which are absolutely necessary in the infant state of our Country, and best suited to our Republican form of Government.

A vast work remains to be done, that re­quires all the Virtues and Abilities of every individual Citizen to accomplish. The World expects measures to evince, that our contest with Great Britain was for a noble oppor­tunity of promoting the general good of our Country; and not for the poor purpose of gratifying inferior designs. Guided by these laudable views, you will generously disdain any other conduct, than that of diffusing benefits to your Fellow-citizens. Your enlightened minds will readily determine, that he is an Ene­my to the State, who treats his Fellow-citizens with neglect.

[Page 5]In a State of civil Society, man must be considered as a Member of a great political Family. He is connected with his Fellow-citi­zens, by ties of interest and benevolent attach­ment; and his social affections must extend to the whole Community of which he is a Mem­ber. He should feel the Safety, and the com­mon Welfare, intimately connected with his own; and he should think nothing unimpor­tant to himself, which concerns the welfare of his Country. This it is that constitutes what is called Patriotism, a principle that excites and cherishes every generous sentiment we possess. Since then, it is equally our interest as duty to promote the Welfare and Honor of our Coun­try, we should make every possible exertion to establish and maintain both. The public Good and our own, are, with respect to their ulti­mate effects, closely united; for which reason it is incumbent on us to do every thing in our power to enrich our Courtry, and to prevent its disgrace.

Upon the Citizens of Pennsylvania is turned the attention of Europe, observing, whether we know how to use, as well as how to acquire, Empire; whether we are to be admired, or [Page 6] despised; in fine, whether, left as we are to ourselves, upon this fair and solemn trial, be­fore the Nations of the Earth, the cause of Republican Liberty shall be justified by its ef­fects, or shall be condemned as the introducer of more Calamities than it removes. With you is the sacred Trust of realizing the Bless­ing of Freedom, and of improving, to the best advantage, the signal favors which our Country now enjoys. But, solid advantages can never be attained in a Commonweatlth, unless the Members of the Community are impressed with an affectionate regard for each other. Every individual should constantly remember that he is a Citizen; that Heaven itself has formed the Relationship, with all its obligati­ons, by endowing man with Reason, and fram­ing his nature for civil Society: That, of course, he ought to love his Companions, and be as anxious and active for their combined Happi­ness and Honor, as for his own Welfare; and he should firmly believe that this is his true In­terest, as well as his inviolable Duty.

It was by thinking and acting in this manner, that the Citizens of Greece and Rome, in their better days, elevated those Republics to the [Page 7] eminent rank in Fame, which, even at this dis­tant period of time, engages the universal ap­plause of Mankind. Nor should it be forgot, that it was ceasing thus to think and act, that their degenerate Posterity resigned themselves to feuds and discords; and, with mutual ma­lice, undermined that strength, which all their foreign Foes could not conquer. At length they sunk together into irrecoverable confusion and utter destruction. More recent, and equal­ly mournful, examples of this political Truth, might be adduced.

The same vices produce, [...] different regions and ages, the same consequences; and the fac­tions and Divisions among Citizens, are still found to change the enraged Adversaries, blind­ly intent only on the success of their own igno­ble quarrels, into the humble Slaves of a Ty­rant.

Let us not, with presumptuous rashness, sup­pose that we can imitate their Faults, without experiencing their Fate. Their Misfortunes, and the causes of them, have been providenti­ally transmitted to us, as faithful Warnings. All the succeeding improvements of the human [Page 8] mind, are presented to us for our use, inviting to an observance of them by the most sublime considerations. To offend against such know­ledge, thus munificently offered to our use, is despitefully to reprobate the best Gifts of the bountiful Creator, and impiously to renounce that kind and social temper, which his immu­table Law makes the foundation of all private Happiness. May the People of Pennsylvania be governed by better Principles, so that, whilst every Citizen is stedfastly seeking to pro­mote the best interests of his Country, the col­lected force of the whole may be uniformly ex­erted to supply that common fund of Prosperi­rity, from which every individual must draw his share. May no contention remain among us, but who shall best serve his Country.

Let Pennsylvania not only exhibit flourishing Inclosures and Harvests, but the comfortable Houses of industrious Artists and Manufactur­ers. It is impossible to contemplate the pro­gress which we have already made, without inspiring a desire to progress in every useful Occupation. The certainty of its being possi­ble, affords sufficient encouragement to perse­vere with Ardor and Enthusiasm.

[Page 9]In an age, also, when Philosophical Inqui­ries have universally pervaded the civilized World, and when human researches have been directed to the attainment of useful knowledge; the Arts and Sciences have arrived to a degree of improvement, that justly distinguishes the present Century, as the aera of refined Genius and Learning; Objects of Science are, however, continually acquiring new Lights, and the Arts are still advancing towards he highest perfection, of which they are susceptible; Perseverance in the investigation of the nature, properties, and the uses of things must necessarily lead to fur­ther attainments in useful knowledge.

For your encouragement in this patriotic un­dertaking, it may be observed, that the great­est part of the establishments which have taken place in the World, calculated to promote the useful Arts, have been brought about by the exertions of private Citizens: Yet, notwith­standing a degree of presumptuous confidence, which always accompanies grand and useful undertakings; we must not disguise the Oppo­sition and Difficulties you will meet with, from interested Foreigners, who have been too long in the habit of furnishing our Country with [Page 10] those articles, which we now desire to have supplied by the Ingenuity and Industry of our own Citizens. It is high time, that the influx of foreign Manufactures and the adoption of foreign Fashions, should not destroy our National Character, or impede our progress to a situation truly independent.

Proud of the Advantages which our own Country will afford, and which our own La­bour will procure; let us disdain to be the ser­vile Imitators of other Nations, or to adopt foreign manners inconsistent with our Republi­can form of Government. The smallness of your numbers, in any particular District, should not discourage you from establishing patriotic Societies: In small Societies, men are encour­aged to communicate their sentiments freely; and there is scarcely any man whose Communi­cations will not, on some occasions, be of use. Nor should slight difficulties in the undertaking be any obstacle to your perseverance. Make but a sincere beginning, and the immediate Advantages, that will result from your Associations, will stimulate to a laudable persever­ance.

[Page 11]The breast of every Republican Citizen will glow with the importance of the cause in which he is engaged. No man deserves Confidence, who is shaken by every wind, or who can en­dure no Adversities in the cause in which he may be engaged.